The psychology of photography

The what? Yes folks, there is such a thing as photographic psychology as researched, espoused and explained by John Suler, writer, photographer and professor of psychology. The core of his work involves research on visual imagery. According to Suler:

“Photography is psychology. Why? Because understanding the visual image is understanding the realm in which the psyche of the photographer and viewer intersect. Psychological principles about perception, emotion, creativity, personal identity, interpersonal communication, and human relationships help explain how we create visual images, how we share them, and how people react to what they see.”

The above is part of the introduction to Suler’s series of articles titled Photographic Psychology: Image and Psyche. The series include chapters on sensation and perception, the psychology of composition, creative captures and post-processing, sharing images: in person and online, and portraying human psychology. Suler has crafted a book composed of these articles. I will not elaborate or give an overview on the topic, suffice to say that it makes for a terrific reading – scholarly, in-depth, and touches on every composition technique to come up with effective photos. You will learn many things – how to be creative in your images, and how to perceive and relate to these images. And much, much more! Set some reading time this weekend and include this in your must-reads.

Compose. Capture. Create. You don't have to be technically proficient. You don't need to own the most expensive camera. The art of photography requires perception, passion and persistence. Every image you take is a story. Be true to your art and tell your story well.